


the imposing man on the train

by damnmysterytome



Category: Daredevil (TV)
Genre: F/M, Frank is still Frank tho, strangers AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-27
Updated: 2016-04-27
Packaged: 2018-06-04 19:33:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,070
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6672760
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/damnmysterytome/pseuds/damnmysterytome
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tumblr Prompt: Would you write one where Frank's on the subway and Karen gets on being followed by a couple people and so she acts like she knows him (maybe like they're a couple) so that they'll leave her alone and then later Frank takes care of the guys in true Frank style?</p>
            </blockquote>





	the imposing man on the train

Karen ducks onto the subway and throws a glance back in the direction of three guys who have been following her for blocks, wishing that she’d at least remembered her pepper spray. Her eyes scan the people on the subway until she finds the most imposing figure she can find.

Under any normal circumstance, Karen would have gone out of her way to avoid him. As she moves towards the back of the subway, she glances back and sees the group has joined her on the subway. She squeezes her eyes shut for a moment to prevent the tears in her eyes from spilling out.

She takes her seat next to the man she’d picked out earlier, dressed in all black with a baseball cap pulled low on his head. He’s broad and imposing, and she hopes it’ll make those guys leave her alone, but she isn’t sure if it will.

“I need you to to pretend that you know me.” Karen says, keeping her eyes forward.

The man next to her turns his head to look at her briefly. “Why?”

“There’s a group of guys that have been following me since I got out of work ten blocks ago.” She starts, nodding towards their presence once she catches sight of them. “Just… Please.”

Out of the corner of her eye, she sees him give a quick nod and he lifts his arm up to go curl around her shoulder, tugging her against him.

That wasn’t what she meant, but it’ll do. “Thank you.” She says softly, allowing herself to relax a little bit. His body is firm and he smells strongly of coffee and gunpowder, but it calms her in waves.

“Tell me about your day.” He says.

Karen frowns for a moment but she catches on. The guys are getting closer and it won’t look believable if they’re not talking. “We got .. We got new clients today, this woman just wanted her landlord to take care of the pipes in her apartment and her landlord is this cheapskate and he got cheap work done on it and they burst, again, but she was right by the pipe when it burst and she fell over, broke her collarbone, and now wants to sue her landlord for the damages to her apartment and her medical bills.” She said, most of that in one breath. “He’s got a team of lawyers, though.”

“Do you have a case?”

“Well, we think so. It’s a clear cut case of negligence, but.. small firm vs giant firm. It’s like two children against a group of adults.” Karen keeps her eyes on his, taking note of the faded bruises that litter his face. There’s a cut under his eye that looks mostly healed. It’s too late to ask his name or find out much about him, she can see the group still lingering by. Alright, her plan isn’t working that well. “They’re still watching.”

“Don’t think about them, focus on me.” He brings his hand up to her face and tilts her head towards his. “They aren’t gonna get to do whatever they’re thinkin’, alright?” His whole body turns so he’s facing her, somewhat blocking their vision of Karen.

Karen nods up at him and lets out a slow breath, choosing to turn her head into his shoulder. He squeezes her shoulder tightly and uses the reflection of the window to check out each of them that had been following her.

“This is my stop.” Karen says and lifts her head up.

“Lead the way,” He says without a second thought. He removes his arm from around her shoulders and stands to his feet.

Karen pulls herself up and reaches down to grasp the man’s hand, walking through the crowds of people also getting off at the stop. He follows her off the subway and they walk a few feet in silence, still hand in hand, before he speaks. “How far away is your apartment?”

“It’s just up here, you can probably still catch the subway.” She says, pointing to the apartment building not that far away.

He shakes his head. “Still tailing you, pick up your speed.”

Karen’s heart starts to race as he tells her to pick up her speed and she wishes she wasn’t wearing heels, although now that they’re standing side by side she’s more aware of the fact that in her heels she’s  _taller_ than the guy. She can be amused by it later.

She reaches down in her purse to pull her keys out as he pushes open the door in front of her so she can get in. She doesn’t have time to mumble a thank you as she kicks off her heels and shoves them in her purse so she has an easier time walking. “Elevators broken, come on.” Karen says and ducks into the stairwell.

They’re on the second staircase when they hear the stairs shut and three sets of footsteps. “You must be a damn good lawyer to piss off these guys off that badly.”

“I’m not. I’m a fucking secretary.” Karen hisses as she pushes open the door to the hallway. He follows her down the hallway until she gets to her apartment and she unlocks her door. She pushes open the door and leaves it open, a little embarrassed about the meager place. It’s small and you can see everything just by looking in. The salary of a secretary doesn’t pay.

“You got a baseball bat?” He asks, standing in the doorway instead of coming in.

“What?” Karen turns around to face him and tilts her head at him.

“Baseball bat.” He says again.

“Y-Yeah, wha-why?”

“Go get it. Go, now.”

Karen turns away from him and moves towards her bed where the baseball bat she has is stashed under her bed. She pulls it out from under her bed and jogs over to the door, handing it over. He takes it from her and twists it in his hand.

“Shut the door, lock it, and do not come out, no matter what you hear, alright?” He asks.

Karen nods her head and shuts the door, locking it with the deadbolt and the chain. She leans against the door and covers her mouth as she starts to hear the sounds of fighting. It’s 3 against 1, but something tells her she doesn’t need to be worried about the imposing man on the train.


End file.
